Image processing method using sensed eye position

ABSTRACT

A method for processing an image previously captured by a camera and stored in a memory of the camera, includes the steps of sensing the position of an eye in the captured image; generating eye position information; and processing said captured image using the eye position information. The step of processing involves detecting a face within the capture image, and applying a morph to the detected face to modify the captured image. The step of processing further involves a step of applying a graphical object at a location within the image and relative to the detected face.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a Continuation Application OF U.S. Ser. No. 11/778,561 filed Jul. 16, 2007, which is a Continuation Application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/636,226 filed on Aug. 8, 2003, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,256,824, which is a Continuation Application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/112,746 filed on Jul. 10, 1998, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,419 all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus and, in particular, discloses a process for Utilising Eye Detection Methods in a Digital Image Camera.

The present invention relates to the field of digital image processing and in particular, the field of processing of images taken via a digital camera.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recently, digital cameras have become increasingly popular. These cameras normally operate by means of imaging a desired image utilising a charge coupled device (CCD) array and storing the imaged scene on an electronic storage medium for later down loading onto a computer system for subsequent manipulation and printing out. Normally, when utilising a computer system to print out an image, sophisticated software may available to manipulate the image in accordance with requirements.

Unfortunately such systems require significant post processing of a captured image and normally present the image in an orientation to which is was taken, relying on the post processing process to perform any necessary or required modifications of the captured image. Further, much of the environmental information available when the picture was taken is lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for processing an image previously captured by a camera and stored in a memory of the camera comprises the steps of sensing the position of an eye in the captured image; generating eye position information; and processing said captured image using the eye position information. The step of processing involves detecting a face within the capture image, and applying a morph to the detected face to modify the captured image. The step of processing further involves a step of applying a graphical object at a location within the image and relative to the detected face.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the method of operation of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 2 illustrates one form of image processing in accordance with the preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment is preferably implemented through suitable programming of a hand held camera device such as that described in the concurrently filed application entitled “A Digital Image Printing Camera with Image Processing Capability”, the content of which is hereby specifically incorporated by cross reference and the details of which, and other related applications are set out in the tables below.

The aforementioned patent specification discloses a camera system, hereinafter known as an “Artcam” type camera, wherein sensed images can be directly printed out by an Artcam portable camera unit. Further, the aforementioned specification discloses means and methods for performing various manipulations on images captured by the camera sensing device leading to the production of various effects in any output image. The manipulations are disclosed to be highly flexible in nature and can be implemented through the insertion into the Artcam of cards having encoded thereon various instructions for the manipulation of images, the cards hereinafter being known as Artcards. The Artcam further has significant onboard processing power by an Artcam Central Processor unit (ACP) which is interconnected to a memory device for the storage of important data and images.

In the preferred embodiment, the Artcam device is modified so as to include an eye position sensor which senses a current eye position. The sensed eye position information is utilised to process the digital image taken by the camera so as to produce modifications, transformations etc. in accordance with the sensed eye position.

The construction of eye position sensors is known to those skilled in the art and is utilised within a number of manufacture's cameras. In particular, within those of Canon Inc. Eye position sensors may rely on the projection of an infra red beam from the viewfinder into the viewer's eye and a reflection detected and utilized to determine a likely eye position.

In the preferred embodiment, it is assumed that the eye position sensor is interconnected to the ACP unit of the Artcam device as discussed in the aforementioned Australian Provisional Patent Application which is converted to a digital form and stored in the Artcam memory store for later use.

Turning now to FIG. 1, the eye position information 10 and the image 11 are stored in the memory of the Artcam and are then processed 12 by the ACP to output a processed image 13 for printing out as a photo via a print head. The form of image processing 12 can be highly variable provided it is dependant on the eye position information 10. For example, in a first form of image processing, a face detection algorithm is applied to the image 11 so as to detect the position of faces within an image and to apply various graphical objects, for example, speech bubbles in a particular offset relationship to the face. An example of such process is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein, a first image 15 is shown of three persons. After application of the face detection algorithm, three faces 16, 17 and 18 are detected. The eye position information is then utilised to select that face which is closest to an estimated eye view within the frame. In a first example, the speech bubble is place relative to the head 16. In a second example 20, the speech bubble is placed relative to the head 17 and in a third example 21, the speech bubble is placed relative to the head 18. Hence, an art card can be provided containing an encoded form of speech bubble application algorithm and the image processed so as to place the speech bubble text above a pre-determined face within the image.

It will be readily apparent that the eye position information could be utilised to process the image 11 in a multitude of different ways. This can include applying regions specific morphs to faces and objects, applying focusing effects in a regional or specific manner. Further, the image processing involved can include applying artistic renderings of an image and this can include applying an artistic paint brushing technique. The artistic brushing methods can be applied in a region specific manner in accordance with the eye position information 10. The final processed image 13 can be printed out as required. Further images can be then taken, each time detecting and utilising a different eye position to produce a different output image.

It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

The present invention is further best utilized in the Artcam device, the details of which are set out in the following paragraphs although it is not restricted thereto.

Ink Jet Technologies

The embodiments of the invention use an ink jet printer type device. Of course many different devices could be used. However presently popular ink jet printing technologies are unlikely to be suitable.

The most significant problem with thermal inkjet is power consumption. This is approximately 100 times that required for high speed, and stems from the energy-inefficient means of drop ejection. This involves the rapid boiling of water to produce a vapor bubble which expels the ink. Water has a very high heat capacity, and must be superheated in thermal inkjet applications. This leads to an efficiency of around 0.02%, from electricity input to drop momentum (and increased surface area) out.

The most significant problem with piezoelectric inkjet is size and cost. Piezoelectric crystals have a very small deflection at reasonable drive voltages, and therefore require a large area for each nozzle. Also, each piezoelectric actuator must be connected to its drive circuit on a separate substrate. This is not a significant problem at the current limit of around 300 nozzles per print head, but is a major impediment to the fabrication of pagewide print heads with 19,200 nozzles.

Ideally, the inkjet technologies used meet the stringent requirements of in-camera digital color printing and other high quality, high speed, low cost printing applications. To meet the requirements of digital photography, new inkjet technologies have been created. The target features include:

low power (less than 10 Watts)

high resolution capability (1,600 dpi or more)

photographic quality output

low manufacturing cost

small size (pagewidth times minimum cross section)

high speed (<2 seconds per page).

All of these features can be met or exceeded by the inkjet systems described below with differing levels of difficulty. 45 different inkjet technologies have been developed by the Assignee to give a wide range of choices for high volume manufacture. These technologies form part of separate applications assigned to the present Assignee as set out in the table below.

The inkjet designs shown here are suitable for a wide range of digital printing systems, from battery powered one-time use digital cameras, through to desktop and network printers, and through to commercial printing systems

For ease of manufacture using standard process equipment, the print head is designed to be a monolithic 0.5 micron CMOS chip with MEMS post processing. For color photographic applications, the print head is 100 mm long, with a width which depends upon the inkjet type. The smallest print head designed is IJ38, which is 0.35 mm wide, giving a chip area of 35 square mm. The print heads each contain 19,200 nozzles plus data and control circuitry.

Ink is supplied to the back of the print head by injection molded plastic ink channels. The molding requires 50 micron features, which can be created using a lithographically micromachined insert in a standard injection molding tool. Ink flows through holes etched through the wafer to the nozzle chambers fabricated on the front surface of the wafer. The print head is connected to the camera circuitry by tape automated bonding.

CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATIONS

The following table is a guide to cross-referenced patent applications filed concurrently herewith and discussed hereinafter with the reference being utilized in subsequent tables when referring to a particular case:

Pat. Docket No No. Title IJ01US 6,227,652 Radiant Plunger Ink Jet Printer IJ02US 6,213,588 Electrostatic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ03US 6,213,589 Planar Thermoelastic Bend Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ04US 6,231,163 Stacked Electrostatic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ05US 6,247,795 Reverse Spring Lever Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ06US 6,394,581 Paddle Type Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ07US 6,244,691 Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ08US 6,257,704 Planar Swing Grill Electromagnetic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ09US 6,416,168 Pump Action Refill Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ10US 6,220,694 Pulsed Magnetic Field Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ11US 6,257,705 Two Plate Reverse Firing Electromagnetic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ12US 6,247,794 Linear Stepper Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ13US 6,234,610 Gear Driven Shutter Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ14US 6,247,793 Tapered Magnetic Pole Electromagnetic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ15US 6,264,306 Linear Spring Electromagnetic Grill Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ16US 6,241,342 Lorenz Diaphragm Electromagnetic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ17US 6,247,792 PTFE Surface Shooting Shuttered Oscillating Pressure Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ18US 6,264,307 Buckle Grill Oscillating Pressure Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ19US 6,254,220 Shutter Based Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ20US 6,234,611 Curling Calyx Thermoelastic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ21US 6,302,528 Thermal Actuated Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ22US 6,283,582 Iris Motion Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ23US 6,239,821 Direct Firing Thermal Bend Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ24US 6,338,547 Conductive PTFE Bend Actuator Vented Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ25US 6,247,796 Magnetostrictive Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ26US 6,557,977 Shape Memory Alloy Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ27US 6,390,603 Buckle Plate Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ28US 6,362,843 Thermal Elastic Rotary Impeller Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ29US 6,293,653 Thermoelastic Bend Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ30US 6,312,107 Thermoelastic Bend Actuator Using PTFE Corrugated Heater Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ31US 6,227,653 Bend Actuator Direct Ink Supply Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ32US 6,234,609 High Young's Modulus Thermoelastic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ33US 6,238,040 Thermally Actuated Slotted Chamber Wall Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ34US 6,188,415 Ink Jet Printer having a Thermal Actuator Comprising an External Coil Spring IJ35US 6,227,654 Trough Container Ink Jet Printing Mechanism with Paddle IJ36US 6,209,989 Dual Chamber Single Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ37US 6,247,791 Dual Nozzle Single Horizontal Fulcrum Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ38US 6,336,710 Dual Nozzle Single Horizontal Actuator Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ39US 6,217,153 Single Bend Actuator Cupped Paddle Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ40US 6,416,167 Thermally Actuated Ink Jet Printing Mechanism having a Series of Thermal Actuator Units IJ41US 6,243,113 Thermally Actuated Ink Jet Printing Mechanism including a Tapered Heater Element IJ42US 6,283,581 Radial Back-Curling Thermoelastic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ43US 6,247,790 Inverted Radial Back-Curling Thermoelastic Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ44US 6,260,953 Surface Bend Actuator Vented Ink Supply Ink Jet Printing Mechanism IJ45US 6,267,469 A Solenoid Actuated Magnetic Plate Ink Jet Printing Mechanism

Tables of Drop-on-Demand Inkjets

Eleven important characteristics of the fundamental operation of individual inkjet nozzles have been identified. These characteristics are largely orthogonal, and so can be elucidated as an eleven dimensional matrix. Most of the eleven axes of this matrix include entries developed by the present assignee.

The following tables form the axes of an eleven dimensional table of inkjet types.

Actuator mechanism (18 types)

Basic operation mode (7 types)

Auxiliary mechanism (8 types)

Actuator amplification or modification method (17 types)

Actuator motion (19 types)

Nozzle refill method (4 types)

Method of restricting back-flow through inlet (10 types)

Nozzle clearing method (9 types)

Nozzle plate construction (9 types)

Drop ejection direction (5 types)

Ink type (7 types)

The complete eleven dimensional table represented by these axes contains 36.9 billion possible configurations of inkjet nozzle. While not all of the possible combinations result in a viable inkjet technology, many million configurations are viable. It is clearly impractical to elucidate all of the possible configurations. Instead, certain inkjet types have been investigated in detail. These are designated IJ01 to IJ45 above.

Other inkjet configurations can readily be derived from these 45 examples by substituting alternative configurations along one or more of the 11 axes. Most of the IJ01 to IJ45 examples can be made into inkjet print heads with characteristics superior to any currently available inkjet technology.

Where there are prior art examples known to the inventor, one or more of these examples are listed in the examples column of the tables below. The IJ01 to IJ45 series are also listed in the examples column. In some cases, a printer may be listed more than once in a table, where it shares characteristics with more than one entry.

Suitable applications include: Home printers, Office network printers, Short run digital printers, Commercial print systems, Fabric printers, Pocket printers, Internet WWW printers, Video printers, Medical imaging, Wide format printers, Notebook PC printers, Fax machines, Industrial printing systems, Photocopiers, Photographic minilabs etc.

The information associated with the aforementioned 11 dimensional matrix are set out in the following tables.

ACTUATOR MECHANISM (APPLIED ONLY TO SELECTED INK DROPS) Actuator Mechanism Description Advantages Disadvantages Thermal An electrothermal Large force High power bubble heater heats the ink to generated Ink carrier

above boiling point, Simple water transferring construction Low efficiency significant heat to the No moving parts High te

aqueous ink. A bubble Fast operation required nucleates and quickly Small chip area High mechanica

forms, expelling the required for Unusual ink. actuator required The efficiency of the Large drive tr

process is low, with Cavitation typically less than actuator failu

0.05% of the electrical Kogation redu

energy being formation transformed into Large print kinetic energy of the difficult to f

drop. Piezoelectric A piezoelectric crystal Low power Very large are

such as lead lanthanum consumption for actuator zirconate (PZT) is Many ink types Difficult to electrically activated, can be used with electroni

and either expands, Fast operation High voltag

shears, or bends to High efficiency transistors re

apply pressure to the Full pagewid

ink, ejecting drops. heads impracti

actuator size Requires poling in h

strengths manufacture Electro- An electric field is Low power Low maximum strictive used to activate consumption (approx. 0.01%

electrostriction in Many ink types Large area re

relaxor materials such can be used actuator due as lead lanthanum Low thermal strain zirconate titanate expansion Response s

(PLZT) or lead Electric field marginal (~10

magnesium niobate strength required High voltag

(PMN). (approx. 3.5 V/μm) transistors re

can be Full pagewid

generated without heads impracti

difficulty actuator size Does not require electrical poling Ferroelectric An electric field is Low power Difficult to used to induce a phase consumption with electroni

transition between the Many ink types Unusual mater

antiferroelectric (AFE) can be used as PLZSnT are and ferroelectric (FE) Fast operation (<1 μs) Actuators r

phase. Perovskite Relatively high large area materials such as tin longitudinal modified lead lanthanum strain zirconate titanate High efficiency (PLZSnT) exhibit large Electric field strains of up to 1% strength of associated with the AFE around 3 V/μm can to FE phase transition. be readily provided Electrostatic Conductive plates are Low power Difficult to plates separated by a consumption electrostatic compressible or fluid Many ink types an aqueous env

dielectric (usually can be used The ele

air). Upon application Fast operation actuator will

of a voltage, the need to be plates attract each from the ink other and displace ink, Very large are

causing drop ejection. to achieve hig

The conductive plates High voltag

may be in a comb or transistors honeycomb structure, or required stacked to increase the Full pagewid

surface area and heads ar

therefore the force. competitive actuator size Electrostatic A strong electric field Low current High voltage r

pull on is applied to the ink, consumption May be damaged ink whereupon electrostatic Low temperature due to air bre

attraction accelerates Required fiel

the ink towards the increases as print medium. size decreases High voltag

transistors re

Electrostatic attracts dust Permanent An electromagnet Low power Complex fabric

magnet directly attracts a consumption Permanent electro- permanent magnet, Many ink types material s

magnetic displacing ink and can be used Neodymium Ir

causing drop ejection. Fast operation (NdFeB) requir

Rare earth magnets with High efficiency High local a field strength around Easy extension required 1 Tesla can be used. from single Copper me

Examples are: Samarium nozzles to should be use

Cobalt (SaCo) and pagewidth print electromigrati

magnetic materials in heads lifetime a

the neodymium iron resistivity boron family (NdFeB, Pigmented i

NdDyFeBNb, NdDyFeB, usually infeas

etc) Operating t

limited to temperature (

K) Soft A solenoid induced a Low power Complex fabric

magnetic magnetic field in a consumption Materials not

core soft magnetic core or Many ink types present in a electro- yoke fabricated from a can be used such as NiFe, magnetic ferrous material such Fast operation CoFe are requi

as electroplated iron High efficiency High local alloys such as CoNiFe Easy extension required [1], CoFe, or NiFe from single Copper me

alloys. Typically, the nozzles to should be use

soft magnetic material pagewidth print electromigrati

is in two parts, which heads lifetime a

are normally held apart resistivity by a spring. When the Electroplating solenoid is actuated, required the two parts attract, High saturat displacing the ink. density is (2.0-2.1 T is with CoNiFe [1 Magnetic The Lorenz force acting Low power Force acts as Lorenz on a current carrying consumption motion force wire in a magnetic Many ink types Typically, field is utilized. can be used quarter of th

This allows the Fast operation length provide

magnetic field to be High efficiency a useful direc

supplied externally to Easy extension High local the print head, for from single required example with rare earth nozzles to Copper me

permanent magnets. pagewidth print should be use

Only the current heads electromigrati

carrying wire need be lifetime a

fabricated on the resistivity print-head, simplifying Pigmented i

materials requirements. usually infeas

Magneto- The actuator uses the Many ink types Force acts as striction giant magnetostrictive can be used motion effect of materials Fast operation Unusual mater

such as Terfenol-D (an Easy extension as Terfeno

alloy of terbium, from single required dysprosium and iron nozzles to High local developed at the Naval pagewidth print required Ordnance Laboratory, heads Copper me

hence Ter-Fe-NOL). For High force is should be use

best efficiency, the available electromigrati

actuator should be pre- lifetime a

stressed to approx. 8 MPa. resistivity Pre-stressing required Surface Ink under positive Low power Requires sup

tension pressure is held in a consumption force to ef

reduction nozzle by surface Simple separation tension. The surface construction Requires spe

tension of the ink is No unusual surfactants reduced below the materials Speed may be bubble threshold, required in surfactant pro

causing the ink to fabrication egress from the nozzle. High efficiency Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Viscosity The ink viscosity is Simple Requires sup

reduction locally reduced to construction force to ef

select which drops are No unusual separation to be ejected. A materials Requires spe

viscosity reduction can required in viscosity prop

be achieved fabrication High speed is electrothermally with Easy extension to achieve most inks, but special from single Requires oscil

inks can be engineered nozzles to pressure for a 100:1 viscosity pagewidth print A high t

reduction. heads difference (ty

degrees) is re

Acoustic An acoustic wave is Can operate Complex drive generated and focussed without a nozzle Complex fabric

upon the drop ejection plate Low efficiency region. Poor control position Poor control volume Thermoelastic An actuator which Low power Efficient bend relies upon consumption operation re

actuator differential thermal Many ink types thermal insula

expansion upon Joule can be used hot side heating is used. Simple planar Corrosion prev

fabrication be difficult Small chip area Pigmented ink

required for each infeasible, a

actuator particles may Fast operation bend actuator High efficiency CMOS compatible voltages and currents Standard MEMS processes can be used Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads High CTE A material with a very High force can be Requires thermoelastic high coefficient of generated material (e.g. actuator thermal expansion (CTE) PTFE is a Requires

such as candidate for low deposition polytetrafluoroethylene dielectric which is (PTFE) is used. As high constant standard in UL

CTE materials are insulation in PTFE depositi

usually non-conductive, ULSI be followed a heater fabricated Very low power temperature from a conductive consumption (° C.) processing material is Many ink types Pigmented ink incorporated. A 50 μm can be used infeasible, a

long PTFE bend actuator Simple planar particles may with polysilicon heater fabrication bend actuator and 15 mW power input Small chip area can provide 180 μN required for each force and 10 μm actuator deflection. Actuator Fast operation motions include: High efficiency 1) Bend CMOS compatible 2) Push voltages and 3) Buckle currents 4) Rotate Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Conductive A polymer with a high High force can be Requires polymer coefficient of thermal generated materials

thermoelastic expansion (such as Very low power (High CTE actuator PTFE) is doped with consumption polymer) conducting substances Many ink types Requires

to increase its can be used deposition conductivity to about 3 Simple planar which is orders of magnitude fabrication standard in UL

below that of copper. Small chip area PTFE depositi

The conducting polymer required for each be followed expands when actuator temperature resistively heated. Fast operation (° C.) processing Examples of conducting High efficiency Evaporation dopants include: CMOS compatible deposition 1) Carbon nanotubes voltages and cannot be used 2) Metal fibers currents Pigmented ink

3) Conductive polymers Easy extension infeasible, a

such as doped from single particles may polythiophene nozzles to bend actuator 4) Carbon granules pagewidth print heads Shape A shape memory alloy High force is Fatigue limit

memory such as TiNi (also available number of cycl

alloy known as Nitinol - (stresses of Low strain Nickel Titanium alloy hundreds of MPa) required to developed at the Naval Large strain is fatigue resist

Ordnance Laboratory) is available (more Cycle rate 1 thermally switched than 3%) heat removal between its weak High corrosion Requires martensitic state and resistance materials (TiN

its high stiffness Simple The latent austenic state. The construction transformation shape of the actuator Easy extension provided in its martensitic from single High current o

state is deformed nozzles to Requires pre

relative to the pagewidth print to distor

austenic shape. The heads martensitic st

shape change causes Low voltage ejection of a drop. operation Linear Linear magnetic Linear Magnetic Requires Magnetic actuators include the actuators can be semiconductor Actuator Linear Induction constructed with such as soft Actuator (LIA), Linear high thrust, long alloys (e.g. C

Permanent Magnet travel, and high Some variet

Synchronous Actuator efficiency using require (LPMSA), Linear planar magnetic mate

Reluctance Synchronous semiconductor as Neodymium Actuator (LRSA), Linear fabrication (NdFeB) Switched Reluctance techniques Requires comp

Actuator (LSRA), and Long actuator phase drive ci

the Linear Stepper travel is High current o

Actuator (LSA). available Medium force is available Low voltage operation

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

BASIC OPERATION MODE Operational mode Description Advantages Disadvantages Actuator This is the simplest Simple operation Drop repetitic

directly mode of operation: the No external usually limite

pushes ink actuator directly fields required than 10 KHz. supplies sufficient Satellite drops this is not f

kinetic energy to expel can be avoided if to the metho

the drop. The drop must drop velocity is related to t

have a sufficient less than 4 m/s method normall

velocity to overcome Can be efficient, All of the dr

the surface tension. depending upon energy must b

the actuator used by the actuato

Satellite drop form if drop v

greater than 4 Proximity The drops to be printed Very simple print Requires close are selected by some head fabrication between the p

manner (e.g. thermally can be used and the print induced surface tension The drop transfer rolle

reduction of selection means May require pressurized ink). does not need to heads printing Selected drops are provide the rows of the im

separated from the ink energy required Monolithic co in the nozzle by to separate the heads are diff

contact with the print drop from the medium or a transfer nozzle roller. Electrostatic The drops to be printed Very simple print Requires ve pull on are selected by some head fabrication electrostatic ink manner (e.g. thermally can be used Electrostatic induced surface tension The drop small nozzle reduction of selection means above air brea pressurized ink). does not need to Electrostatic Selected drops are provide the attract dust separated from the ink energy required in the nozzle by a to separate the strong electric field. drop from the nozzle Magnetic The drops to be printed Very simple print Requires magne

pull on ink are selected by some head fabrication Ink colors o

manner (e.g. thermally can be used black are diff

induced surface tension The drop Requires ve reduction of selection means magnetic field pressurized ink). does not need to Selected drops are provide the separated from the ink energy required in the nozzle by a to separate the strong magnetic field drop from the acting on the magnetic nozzle ink. Shutter The actuator moves a High speed (>50 KHz) Moving par shutter to block ink operation required flow to the nozzle. The can be achieved Requires ink ink pressure is pulsed due to reduced modulator at a multiple of the refill time Friction and drop ejection Drop timing can be considered frequency. be very accurate Stiction is po The actuator energy can be very low Shuttered The actuator moves a Actuators with Moving par grill shutter to block ink small travel can required flow through a grill to be used Requires ink the nozzle. The shutter Actuators with modulator movement need only be small force can Friction and equal to the width of be used be considered the grill holes. High speed (>50 KHz) Stiction is po operation can be achieved Pulsed A pulsed magnetic field Extremely low Requires an magnetic attracts an ‘ink energy operation pulsed magneti

pull on ink pusher’ at the drop is possible Requires pusher ejection frequency. An No heat materials for actuator controls a dissipation actuator and catch, which prevents problems pusher the ink pusher from Complex constr

moving when a drop is not to be ejected.

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

AUXILIARY MECHANISM (APPLIED TO ALL NOZZLES) Auxiliary Mechanism Description Advantages Disadvantages None The actuator directly Simplicity of Drop ejectio

fires the ink drop, and construction must be sup

there is no external Simplicity of individual field or other operation actuator mechanism required. Small physical size Oscillating The ink pressure Oscillating ink Requires ext

ink oscillates, providing pressure can pressure oscil

pressure much of the drop provide a refill Ink pressure (including ejection energy. The pulse, allowing amplitude r

acoustic actuator selects which higher operating carefully cont

stimulation) drops are to be fired speed Acoustic refl

by selectively blocking The actuators may the ink chamb

or enabling nozzles. operate with much designed for The ink pressure lower energy oscillation may be Acoustic lenses achieved by vibrating can be used to the print head, or focus the sound preferably by an on the nozzles actuator in the ink supply. Media The print head is Low power Precision proximity placed in close High accuracy required proximity to the print Simple print head Paper fibers medium. Selected drops construction problems protrude from the print Cannot print head further than substrates unselected drops, and contact the print medium. The drop soaks into the medium fast enough to cause drop separation. Transfer Drops are printed to a High accuracy Bulky roller transfer roller instead Wide range of Expensive of straight to the print substrates Complex constr

print medium. A can be used transfer roller can Ink can be dried also be used for on the transfer proximity drop roller separation. Electrostatic An electric field is Low power Field strengt

used to accelerate Simple print head for separatio

selected drops towards construction drops is near the print medium. air breakdown Direct A magnetic field is Low power Requires magne

magnetic used to accelerate Simple print head Requires stron field selected drops of construction field magnetic ink towards the print medium. Cross The print head is Does not require Requires exter

magnetic placed in a constant magnetic Current densit

field magnetic field. The materials to be high, resul Lorenz force in a integrated in the electromigrati

current carrying wire print head problems is used to move the manufacturing actuator. process Pulsed A pulsed magnetic field Very low power Complex pri magnetic is used to cyclically operation is construction field attract a paddle, which possible Magnetic pushes on the ink. A Small print head required in pr

small actuator moves a size catch, which selectively prevents the paddle from moving.

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

ACTUATOR AMPLIFICATION OR MODIFICATION METHOD Actuator amplification Description Advantages Disadvantages None No actuator mechanical Operational Many actuator amplification is used. simplicity have in The actuator directly travel, or in drives the drop force, to e

ejection process. drive the dro

process Differential An actuator material Provides greater High stres

expansion expands more on one travel in a involved bend actuator side than on the other. reduced print Care must be The expansion may be head area the materials thermal, piezoelectric, The bend actuator delaminate magnetostrictive, or converts a high Residual bend other mechanism. force low travel from high temp actuator high stress mechanism to high formation travel, lower force mechanism. Transient A trilayer bend Very good High stres

bend actuator where the two temperature involved actuator outside layers are stability Care must be identical. This cancels High speed, as a the materials bend due to ambient new drop can be delaminate temperature and fired before heat residual stress. The dissipates actuator only responds Cancels residual to transient heating of stress of one side or the other. formation Actuator A series of thin Increased travel Increased f

stack actuators are stacked. Reduced drive complexity This can be appropriate voltage Increased poss where actuators require short circuit high electric field pinholes strength, such as electrostatic and piezoelectric actuators. Multiple Multiple smaller Increases the Actuator force actuators actuators are used force available add linearly, simultaneously to move from an actuator efficiency the ink. Each actuator Multiple need provide only a actuators can be portion of the force positioned to required. control ink flow accurately Linear A linear spring is used Matches low Requires print Spring to transform a motion travel actuator for the spring with small travel and with higher high force into a travel longer travel, lower requirements force motion. Non-contact method of motion transformation Reverse The actuator loads a Better coupling Fabrication co

spring spring. When the to the ink High stress actuator is turned off, spring the spring releases. This can reverse the force/distance curve of the actuator to make it compatible with the force/time requirements of the drop ejection. Coiled A bend actuator is Increases travel Generally rest actuator coiled to provide Reduces chip area planar impl

greater travel in a Planar due to reduced chip area. implementations fabrication are relatively in other orien

easy to fabricate. Flexure A bend actuator has a Simple means of Care must be bend small region near the increasing travel to exceed th

actuator fixture point, which of a bend limit in th

flexes much more actuator area readily than the Stress distri

remainder of the very uneven actuator. The actuator Difficult to flexing is effectively model with converted from an even element analys coiling to an angular bend, resulting in greater travel of the actuator tip. Gears Gears can be used to Low force, low Moving par

increase travel at the travel actuators required expense of duration. can be used Several actuat

Circular gears, rack Can be fabricated are required and pinion, ratchets, using standard More comple

and other gearing surface MEMS electronics methods can be used. processes Complex constr

Friction, fri

wear are possi

Catch The actuator controls a Very low actuator Complex constr

small catch. The catch energy Requires exter

either enables or Very small Unsuitable for disables movement of an actuator size inks ink pusher that is controlled in a bulk manner. Buckle A buckle plate can be Very fast Must stay with plate used to change a slow movement limits of the actuator into a fast achievable for long devic

motion. It can also High stresses convert a high force, Generally hi

low travel actuator requirement into a high travel, medium force motion. Tapered A tapered magnetic pole Linearizes the Complex constr

magnetic can increase travel at magnetic pole the expense of force. force/distance curve Lever A lever and fulcrum is Matches low High stress

used to transform a travel actuator fulcrum motion with small with higher travel and high force travel into a motion with requirements longer travel and lower Fulcrum area has force. The lever can no linear also reverse the movement, and can direction of travel. be used for a fluid seal Rotary The actuator is High mechanical Complex constr

impeller connected to a rotary advantage Unsuitable for impeller. A small The ratio of inks angular deflection of force to travel the actuator results in of the actuator a rotation of the can be matched to impeller vanes, which the nozzle push the ink against requirements by stationary vanes and varying the out of the nozzle. number of impeller vanes Acoustic A refractive or No moving parts Large area req

lens diffractive (e.g. zone Only relev

plate) acoustic lens is acoustic ink j

used to concentrate sound waves. Sharp A sharp point is used Simple Difficult to conductive to concentrate an construction using stand

point electrostatic field. processes for ejecting ink-j

Only relev

electrostatic

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ACTUATOR MOTION Actuator motion Description Advantages Disadvantages Volume The volume of the Simple High energy is expansion actuator changes, construction in required to pushing the ink in all the case of volume expans directions. thermal ink jet leads to therm cavitation, an in thermal implementation Linear, The actuator moves in a Efficient High f

normal to chip direction normal to the coupling to ink complexity surface print head surface. The drops ejected required to nozzle is typically in normal to the perpendicular

the line of movement. surface Linear, The actuator moves Suitable for Fabrication co

parallel to parallel to the print planar Friction chip head surface. Drop fabrication Stiction surface ejection may still be normal to the surface. Membrane An actuator with a high The effective Fabrication co

push force but small area is area of the Actuator size used to push a stiff actuator becomes Difficulty membrane that is in the membrane area integration i

contact with the ink. process Rotary The actuator causes the Rotary levers may Device complex rotation of some be used to May have fric element, such a grill increase travel pivot point or impeller Small chip area requirements Bend The actuator bends when A very small Requires the a energized. This may be change in be made from due to differential dimensions can be two distinct thermal expansion, converted to a to have a piezoelectric large motion. difference a

expansion, actuator magnetostriction, or other form of relative dimensional change. Swivel The actuator swivels Allows operation Inefficient c

around a central pivot. where the net the ink motion This motion is suitable linear force on where there are the paddle is opposite forces applied zero to opposite sides of Small chip area the paddle, e.g. Lorenz requirements force. Straighten The actuator is Can be used with Requires caref

normally bent, and shape memory of stresses straightens when alloys where the that the quie

energized. austenic phase is is accurate planar Double bend The actuator bends in One actuator can Difficult to one direction when one be used to power drops ejected element is energized, two nozzles. bend and bends the other way Reduced chip identical. when another element is size. A small effic energized. Not sensitive to compared to ambient single bend ac

temperature Shear Energizing the actuator Can increase the Not readily causes a shear motion effective travel to other in the actuator of piezoelectric mechanisms material. actuators Radial The actuator squeezes Relatively easy High force req

constriction an ink reservoir, to fabricate Inefficient forcing ink from a single nozzles Difficult to constricted nozzle. from glass tubing with VLSI proc

as macroscopic structures Coil/ A coiled actuator Easy to fabricate Difficult to uncoil uncoils or coils more as a planar VLSI for non-planar tightly. The motion of process Poor ou

the free end of the Small area stiffness actuator ejects the required, ink. therefore low cost Bow The actuator bows (or Can increase the Maximum tr

buckles) in the middle speed of travel constrained when energized. Mechanically High force req

rigid Push-Pull Two actuators control a The structure is Not readily su

shutter. One actuator pinned at both inkjets which pulls the shutter, and ends, so has a push the ink the other pushes it. high out-of-plane rigidity Curl A set of actuators curl Good fluid flow Design complex inwards inwards to reduce the to the region volume of ink that they behind the enclose. actuator increases efficiency Curl A set of actuators curl Relatively simple Relatively l

outwards outwards, pressurizing construction area ink in a chamber surrounding the actuators, and expelling ink from a nozzle in the chamber. Iris Multiple vanes enclose High efficiency High f

a volume of ink. These Small chip area complexity simultaneously rotate, Not suitab

reducing the volume pigmented inks between the vanes. Acoustic The actuator vibrates The actuator can Large area re

vibration at a high frequency. be physically efficient ope

distant from the useful frequen

ink Acoustic cou

crosstalk Complex drive

Poor control volume and pos

None In various ink jet No moving parts Various other designs the actuator are requi

does not move. eliminate movi

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NOZZLE REFILL METHOD Nozzle refill method Description Advantages Disadvantages Surface After the actuator is Fabrication Low speed tension energized, it typically simplicity Surface tens

returns rapidly to its Operational relatively normal position. This simplicity compared to rapid return sucks in force air through the nozzle Long refill ti

opening. The ink dominates t

surface tension at the repetition rat

nozzle then exerts a small force restoring the meniscus to a minimum area. Shuttered oscillating Ink to the nozzle High speed Requires co

ink chamber is provided at Low actuator pressure oscil

pressure a pressure that energy, as the May not be su

oscillates at twice the actuator need pigmented inks drop ejection only open or frequency. When a drop close the is to be ejected, the shutter, instead shutter is opened for 3 of ejecting the half cycles: drop ink drop ejection, actuator return, and refill. Refill After the main actuator High speed, as Requires two i

actuator has ejected a drop a the nozzle is actuators per

second (refill) actively refilled actuator is energized. The refill actuator pushes ink into the nozzle chamber. The refill actuator returns slowly, to prevent its return from emptying the chamber again. Positive The ink is held a High refill rate, Surface spill ink slight positive therefore a high prevented pressure pressure. After the ink drop repetition Highly hydroph

drop is ejected, the rate is possible head surfa

nozzle chamber fills required quickly as surface tension and ink pressure both operate to refill the nozzle.

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METHOD OF RESTRICTING BACK-FLOW THROUGH INLET Inlet back- flow restriction method Description Advantages Disadvantages Long inlet The ink inlet channel to the Design simplicity Restricts refi

channel nozzle chamber Operational May result is made long and simplicity relatively l

relatively narrow, Reduces crosstalk area relying on viscous drag Only partially to reduce inlet back- flow. Positive The ink is under a Drop selection Requires a me

ink pressure positive pressure, so and separation as a nozzle that in the quiescent forces can be effective state some of the ink reduced hydrophobizing drop already protrudes Fast refill time to prevent f

from the nozzle. the ejection

This reduces the the print head pressure in the nozzle chamber which is required to eject a certain volume of ink. The reduction in chamber pressure results in a reduction in ink pushed out through the inlet. Baffle One or more baffles are The refill rate Design complex placed in the inlet ink is not as May increase f

flow. When the actuator restricted as the complexity is energized, the rapid long inlet Tektronix h

ink movement creates method. Piezoelectric eddies which restrict Reduces crosstalk heads). the flow through the inlet. The slower refill process is unrestricted, and does not result in eddies. Flexible In this method recently Significantly Not applicabl

flap disclosed by Canon, the reduces back-flow inkjet configu

restricts expanding actuator for edge-shooter Increased f

inlet (bubble) pushes on a thermal ink jet complexity flexible flap that devices Inelastic defo

restricts the inlet. polymer flap

creep over ext

Inlet A filter is located Additional Restricts refi

filter between the ink inlet advantage of ink May result i

and the nozzle chamber. filtration construction The filter has a Ink filter may be multitude of small fabricated with holes or slots, no additional restricting ink flow. process steps The filter also removes particles which may block the nozzle. Small inlet The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refi

compared to to the nozzle chamber May result nozzle has a substantially relatively l

smaller cross section area than that of the nozzle, Only partially resulting in easier ink egress out of the nozzle than out of the inlet. Inlet A secondary actuator Increases speed Requires separ

shutter controls the position of the ink-jet actuator an of a shutter, closing print head circuit off the ink inlet when operation the main actuator is energized. The inlet The method avoids the Back-flow problem Requires care

is located problem of inlet back- is eliminated to minimize th

behind the flow by arranging the pressure be

ink-pushing ink-pushing surface of paddle surface the actuator between the inlet and the nozzle. Part of the The actuator and a wall Significant Small incr

actuator of the ink chamber are reductions in fabrication co

moves to arranged so that the back-flow can be shut off motion of the actuator achieved the inlet closes off the inlet. Compact designs possible Nozzle In some configurations Ink back-flow None related actuator of ink jet, there is no problem is back-flow on a

does not expansion or movement eliminated result in of an actuator which ink back- may cause ink back-flow flow through the inlet.

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

NOZZLE CLEARING METHOD Nozzle Clearing method Description Advantages Disadvantages Normal All of the nozzles are No added May not be suf

nozzle fired periodically, complexity on the displace dried firing before the ink has a print head chance to dry. When not in use the nozzles are sealed (capped) against air. The nozzle firing is usually performed during a special clearing cycle, after first moving the print head to a cleaning station. Extra power In systems which heat Can be highly Requires hig

to ink the ink, but do not effective if the voltage for cl

heater boil it under normal heater is May require la

situations, nozzle adjacent to the transistors clearing can be nozzle achieved by over- powering the heater and boiling ink at the nozzle. Rapid The actuator is fired Does not require Effectiveness succession in rapid succession. In extra drive substantially of actuator some configurations, circuits on the configuration pulses this may cause heat print head inkjet nozzle build-up at the nozzle Can be readily which boils the ink, controlled and clearing the nozzle. In initiated by other situations, it digital logic may cause sufficient vibrations to dislodge clogged nozzles. Extra power Where an actuator is A simple solution Not suitable w

to ink not normally driven to where applicable is a hard pushing the limit of its actuator movem

actuator motion, nozzle clearing may be assisted by providing an enhanced drive signal to the actuator. Acoustic An ultrasonic wave is A high nozzle High implement resonance applied to the ink clearing if system chamber. This wave is capability can be already inc

of an appropriate achieved acoustic actua

amplitude and frequency May be to cause sufficient implemented at force at the nozzle to very low cost in clear blockages. This systems which is easiest to achieve already include if the ultrasonic wave acoustic is at a resonant actuators frequency of the ink cavity. Nozzle A microfabricated plate Can clear Accurate clearing is pushed against the severely clogged alignment is r

plate nozzles. The plate has nozzles Moving par

a post for every required nozzle. The array of There is risk posts to the nozzles Accurate fabr

required Ink The pressure of the ink May be effective Requires pres

pressure is temporarily where other or other pulse increased so that ink methods cannot be actuator streams from all of the used Expensive nozzles. This may be Wasteful of in

used in conjunction with actuator energizing. Print head A flexible ‘blade’ is Effective for Difficult to wiper wiped across the print planar print head print head s

head surface. The blade surfaces non-planar is usually fabricated Low cost fragile from a flexible Requires polymer, e.g. rubber or parts synthetic elastomer. Blade can we

high volum

systems Separate A separate heater is Can be effective Fabrication co

ink boiling provided at the nozzle where other heater although the normal nozzle clearing drop e-ection mechanism methods cannot be does not require it. used The heaters do not Can be require individual implemented at no drive circuits, as many additional cost nozzles can be cleared in some inkjet simultaneously, and no configurations imaging is required.

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

NOZZLE PLATE CONSTRUCTION Nozzle plate construction Description Advantages Disadvantages Electroformed A nozzle plate is Fabrication High temperat

nickel separately fabricated simplicity pressures are from electroformed to bond nozzle nickel, and bonded to Minimum the print head chip. constraints Differential expansion Laser Individual nozzle holes No masks required Each hole ablated or are ablated by an Can be quite fast individually f

drilled intense UV laser in a Some control over Special polymer nozzle plate, which is nozzle profile is required typically a polymer possible Slow where such as polyimide or Equipment many thous

polysulphone required is nozzles per pr

relatively low May produce t

cost at exit holes Silicon A separate nozzle plate High accuracy is Two part const

micro- is micromachined from attainable High cost machined single crystal silicon, Requires and bonded to the print alignment head wafer. Nozzles may

by adhesive Glass Fine glass capillaries No expensive Very small no

capillaries are drawn from glass equipment are difficult tubing. This method has required Not suited been used for making Simple to make production individual nozzles, but single nozzles is difficult to use for bulk manufacturing of print heads with thousands of nozzles. Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy (<1 μm) Requires s

surface deposited as a layer Monolithic layer under t

micro- using standard VLSI Low cost plate to form machined deposition techniques. Existing chamber using VLSI Nozzles are etched in processes can be Surface may

lithographic the nozzle plate using used to the touch processes VLSI lithography and etching. Monolithic, The nozzle plate is a High accuracy (<1 μm) Requires long

etched buried etch stop in the Monolithic Requires a sup

through wafer. Nozzle chambers Low cost substrate are etched in the front No differential of the wafer, and the expansion wafer is thinned from the back side. Nozzles are then etched in the etch stop layer. No nozzle Various methods have No nozzles to Difficult to plate been tried to eliminate become clogged drop position

the nozzles entirely, Crosstalk prob

to prevent nozzle clogging. These include thermal bubble mechanisms and acoustic lens mechanisms Trough Each drop ejector has a Reduced Drop firing di

trough through which a manufacturing sensitive to w

paddle moves. There is complexity no nozzle plate. Monolithic Nozzle slit The elimination of No nozzles to Difficult to instead of nozzle holes and become clogged drop position individual replacement by a slit Crosstalk prob

nozzles encompassing many actuator positions reduces nozzle clogging, but increases crosstalk due to ink surface waves

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

DROP EJECTION DIRECTION Ejection direction Description Advantages Disadvantages Edge Ink flow is along the Simple Nozzles limite

(‘edge shooter’) surface of the chip, construction High resolu

and ink drops are No silicon difficult ejected from the chip etching required Fast color edge. Good heat sinking requires one

via substrate per color Mechanically strong Ease of chip handing Surface Ink flow is along the No bulk silicon Maximum ink (‘roof shooter’) surface of the chip, etching required severely restr

and ink drops are Silicon can make ejected from the chip an effective heat surface, normal to the sink plane of the chip. Mechanical strength Through chip, Ink flow is through the High ink flow Requires bul

forward (‘up shooter’) chip, and ink drops are Suitable for etching ejected from the front pagewidth print surface of the chip. High nozzle packing density therefore low manufacturing cost Through Ink flow is through the High ink flow Requires wafer chip, chip, and ink drops are Suitable for Requires reverse ejected from the rear pagewidth print handling (‘down surface of the chip. High nozzle manufacture shooter’) packing density therefore low manufacturing cost Through Ink flow is through the Suitable for Pagewidth pr

actuator actuator, which is not piezoelectric require severa

fabricated as part of print heads connections the same substrate as circuits the drive transistors. Cannot be ma

in standard CM

Complex required

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

INK TYPE Ink type Description Advantages Disadvantages Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying dye typically contains: friendly Corrosive water, dye, surfactant, No odor Bleeds on pape

humectant, and biocide. May strikethro

Modern ink dyes have Cockles paper high water-fastness, light fastness Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying pigment typically contains: friendly Corrosive water, pigment, No odor Pigment may cl

surfactant, humectant, Reduced bleed Pigment ma

and biocide. Reduced wicking actuator mecha

Pigments have an Reduced Cockles paper advantage in reduced strikethrough bleed, wicking and strikethrough. Methyl MEK is a highly Very fast drying Odorous Ethyl volatile solvent used Prints on various Flammable Ketone for industrial printing substrates such (MEK) on difficult surfaces as metals and such as aluminum cans. plastics Alcohol Alcohol based inks can Fast drying Slight odor (ethanol, be used where the Operates at sub- Flammable 2-butanol, printer must operate at freezing and others) temperatures below the temperatures freezing point of Reduced paper water. An example of cockle this is in-camera Low cost consumer photographic printing. Phase The ink is solid at No drying time- High viscosity change room temperature, and ink instantly Printed ink (hot melt) is melted in the print freezes on the has a ‘waxy’ f

head before jetting. print medium Printed pa

Hot melt inks are Almost any print ‘block’ usually wax based, with medium can be Ink temperatu

a melting point around used above the curi

80° C. After jetting No paper cockle permanent magn

the ink freezes almost occurs Ink heaters instantly upon No wicking occurs power contacting the print No bleed occurs Long warm-up t

medium or a transfer No strikethrough roller. occurs Oil Oil based inks are High solubility High viscosity extensively used in medium for some a significant offset printing. They dyes for use in have advantages in Does not cockle which usually improved paper low viscosi

characteristics on Does not wick short chain

paper (especially no through paper branched oils wicking or cockle). Oil sufficiently soluble dies and viscosity. pigments are required. Slow drying Microemulsion A microemulsion is a Stops ink bleed Viscosity hi

stable, self forming High dye water emulsion of oil, water, solubility Cost is sligh

and surfactant. The Water, oil, and than water bas

characteristic drop amphiphilic High size is less than 100 nm, soluble dies can concentration and is determined be used (around 5%) by the preferred Can stabilize curvature of the pigment surfactant. suspensions

indicates data missing or illegible when filed

Ink Jet Printing

A large number of new forms of ink jet printers have been developed to facilitate alternative ink jet technologies for the image processing and data distribution system. Various combinations of ink jet devices can be included in printer devices incorporated as part of the present invention. Australian Provisional Patent Applications relating to these ink jets which are specifically incorporated by cross reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding US patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

Australian US Patent/Patent Provisional Filing Application and Number Date Title Filing Date PO8066 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,227,652 Apparatus (IJ01) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8072 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,213,588 Apparatus (IJ02) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8040 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,213,589 Apparatus (IJ03) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8071 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,231,163 Apparatus (IJ04) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8047 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,247,795 Apparatus (IJ05) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8035 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,394,581 Apparatus (IJ06) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8044 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,244,691 Apparatus (IJ07) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8063 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,257,704 Apparatus (IJ08) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8057 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,416,168 Apparatus (IJ09) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8056 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,220,694 Apparatus (IJ10) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8069 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,257,705 Apparatus (IJ11) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8049 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,247,794 Apparatus (IJ12) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8036 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,234,610 Apparatus (IJ13) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8048 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,247,793 Apparatus (IJ14) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8070 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,264,306 Apparatus (IJ15) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8067 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,241,342 Apparatus (IJ16) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8001 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,247,792 Apparatus (IJ17) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8038 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,264,307 Apparatus (IJ18) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8033 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,254,220 Apparatus (IJ19) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8002 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,234,611 Apparatus (IJ20) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8068 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,302,528 Apparatus (IJ21) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8062 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,283,582 Apparatus (IJ22) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8034 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,239,821 Apparatus (IJ23) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8039 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,338,547 Apparatus (IJ24) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8041 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,247,796 Apparatus (IJ25) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8004 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 09/113,122 Apparatus (IJ26) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8037 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,390,603 Apparatus (IJ27) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8043 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,362,843 Apparatus (IJ28) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8042 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,293,653 Apparatus (IJ29) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8064 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and 6,312,107 Apparatus (IJ30) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9389 23-Sep-97 Image Creation Method and 6,227,653 Apparatus (IJ31) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9391 23-Sep-97 Image Creation Method and 6,234,609 Apparatus (IJ32) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0888 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and 6,238,040 Apparatus (IJ33) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0891 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and 6,188,415 Apparatus (IJ34) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0890 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and 6,227,654 Apparatus (IJ35) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0873 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and 6,209,989 Apparatus (IJ36) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0993 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and 6,247,791 Apparatus (IJ37) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0890 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and 6,336,710 Apparatus (IJ38) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP1398 19-Jan-98 An Image Creation Method 6,217,153 and Apparatus (IJ39) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP2592 25-Mar-98 An Image Creation Method 6,416,167 and Apparatus (IJ40) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP2593 25-Mar-98 Image Creation Method and 6,243,113 Apparatus (IJ41) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP3991 9-Jun-98 Image Creation Method and 6,283,581 Apparatus (IJ42) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP3987 9-Jun-98 Image Creation Method and 6,247,790 Apparatus (IJ43) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP3985 9-Jun-98 Image Creation Method and 6,260,953 Apparatus (IJ44) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP3983 9-Jun-98 Image Creation Method and 6,267,469 Apparatus (IJ45) (Jul. 10, 1998)

Ink Jet Manufacturing

Further, the present application may utilize advanced semiconductor fabrication techniques in the construction of large arrays of ink jet printers. Suitable manufacturing techniques are described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by cross-reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding U.S. patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

US Patent/Patent Australian Application Provisional Filing and Number Date Title Filing Date PO7935 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,224,780 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM01) PO7936 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,235,212 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM02) PO7937 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,280,643 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM03) PO8061 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,284,147 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM04) PO8054 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,214,244 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM05) PO8065 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,071,750 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM06) PO8055 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,267,905 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM07) PO8053 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,251,298 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM08) PO8078 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,258,285 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM09) PO7933 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,225,138 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM10) PO7950 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,241,904 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM11) PO7949 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,299,786 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM12) PO8060 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 09/113,124 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM13) PO8059 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,231,773 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM14) PO8073 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,190,931 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM15) PO8076 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,248,249 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM16) PO8075 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,290,862 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM17) PO8079 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,241,906 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM18) PO8050 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 09/113,116 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM19) PO8052 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,241,905 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM20) PO7948 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,451,216 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM21) PO7951 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,231,772 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM22) PO8074 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,274,056 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM23) PO7941 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,290,861 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM24) PO8077 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,248,248 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM25) PO8058 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,306,671 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM26) PO8051 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,331,258 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM27) PO8045 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,110,754 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM28) PO7952 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,294,101 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM29) PO8046 15-Jul- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,416,679 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM30) PO8503 11-Aug- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,264,849 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM30a) PO9390 23-Sep- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,254,793 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM31) PO9392 23-Sep- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,235,211 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM32) PP0889 12-Dec- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,235,211 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM35) PP0887 12-Dec- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,264,850 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM36) PP0882 12-Dec- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,258,284 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM37) PP0874 12-Dec- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,258,284 97 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM38) PP1396 19-Jan- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,228,668 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM39) PP2591 25-Mar- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,180,427 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM41) PP3989 9-Jun- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,171,875 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM40) PP3990 9-Jun- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,267,904 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM42) PP3986 9-Jun- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,245,247 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM43) PP3984 9-Jun- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,245,247 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM44) PP3982 9-Jun- A Method of Manufacture of an 6,231,148 98 Image Creation Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IJM45)

Fluid Supply

Further, the present application may utilize an ink delivery system to the ink jet head. Delivery systems relating to the supply of ink to a series of ink jet nozzles are described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications, the disclosure of which are hereby incorporated by cross-reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding U.S. patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

Australian US Patent/Patent Provisional Filing Application and Number Date Title Filing Date PO8003 15-Jul- Supply Method and 6,350,023 97 Apparatus (F1) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8005 15-Jul- Supply Method and 6,318,849 97 Apparatus (F2) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9404 23-Sep- A Device and Method 09/113,101 97 (F3) (Jul. 10, 1998)

MEMS Technology

Further, the present application may utilize advanced semiconductor microelectromechanical techniques in the construction of large arrays of ink jet printers. Suitable microelectromechanical techniques are described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by cross-reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding U.S. patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

Australian US Patent/Patent Provisional Application and Number Filing Date Title Filing Date PO7943 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS01) PO8006 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS02) 6,087,638 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8007 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS03) 09/113,093 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8008 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS04) 6,340,222 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8010 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS05) 6,041,600 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8011 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS06) 6,299,300 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7947 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS07) 6,067,797 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7945 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS08) 09/113,081 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7944 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS09) 6,286,935 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7946 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS10) 6,044,646 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9393 23-Sep-97 A Device and Method 09/113,065 (MEMS11) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0875 12-Dec-97 A Device (MEMS12) 09/113,078 (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0894 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 09/113,075 (MEMS13) (Jul. 10, 1998)

IR Technologies

Further, the present application may include the utilization of a disposable camera system such as those described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by cross-reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding U.S. patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

Australian US Patent/Patent Provisional Filing Application and Number Date Title Filing Date PP0895 12-Dec-97 An Image Creation Method 6,231,148 and Apparatus (IR01) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0870 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 09/113,106 (IR02) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0869 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 6,293,658 (IR04) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0887 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method 09/113,104 and Apparatus (IR05) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0885 12-Dec-97 An Image Production 6,238,033 System (IR06) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0884 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method 6,312,070 and Apparatus (IR10) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0886 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method 6,238,111 and Apparatus (IR12) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0871 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 09/113,086 (IR13) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0876 12-Dec-97 An Image Processing 09/113,094 Method and Apparatus (Jul. 10, 1998) (IR14) PP0877 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 6,378,970 (IR16) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0878 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 6,196,739 (IR17) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0879 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 09/112,774 (IR18) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0883 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 6,270,182 (IR19) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0880 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 6,152,619 (IR20) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0881 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method 09/113,092 (IR21) (Jul. 10, 1998)

DotCard Technologies

Further, the present application may include the utilization of a data distribution system such as that described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by cross-reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding US patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

Australian US Patent/Patent Provisional Filing Application and Number Date Title Filing Date PP2370 16-Mar-98 Data Processing Method 09/112,781 and Apparatus (Dot01) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP2371 16-Mar-98 Data Processing Method 09/113,052 and Apparatus (Dot02) (Jul. 10, 1998)

Artcam Technologies

Further, the present application may include the utilization of camera and data processing techniques such as an Artcam type device as described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by cross-reference. The serial numbers of respective corresponding U.S. patent applications are also provided for the sake of convenience.

Australian US Patent/Patent Provisional Filing Application and Number Date Title Filing Date PO7991 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/113,060 97 Apparatus (ART01) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7988 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 6,476,863 97 Apparatus (ART02) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7993 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/113,073 97 Apparatus (ART03) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9395 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,322,181 97 Apparatus (ART04) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8017 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,747 97 Apparatus (ART06) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8014 15-Jul- Media Device (ART07) 6,227,648 97 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8025 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,750 97 Apparatus (ART08) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8032 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,746 97 Apparatus (ART09) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7999 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,743 97 Apparatus (ART10) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7998 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,742 97 Apparatus (ART11) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8031 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,741 97 Apparatus (ART12) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8030 15-Jul- Media Device (ART13) 6,196,541 97 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7997 15-Jul- Media Device (ART15) 6,195,150 97 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7979 15-Jul- Media Device (ART16) 6,362,868 97 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8015 15-Jul- Media Device (ART17) 09/112,738 97 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7978 15-Jul- Media Device (ART18) 09/113,067 97 (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7982 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 6,431,669 97 Apparatus (ART19) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7989 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 6,362,869 97 Apparatus (ART20) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8019 15-Jul- Media Processing Method and 6,472,052 97 Apparatus (ART21) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7980 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 6,356,715 97 Apparatus (ART22) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8018 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,777 97 Apparatus (ART24) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7938 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/113,224 97 Apparatus (ART25) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8016 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 6,366,693 97 Apparatus (ART26) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8024 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 6,329,990 97 Apparatus (ART27) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7940 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,072 97 Apparatus (ART28) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7939 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/112,785 97 Apparatus (ART29) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8501 11-Aug- Image Processing Method and 6,137,500 97 Apparatus (ART30) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8500 11-Aug- Image Processing Method and 09/112,796 97 Apparatus (ART31) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7987 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,071 97 Apparatus (ART32) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8022 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 6,398,328 97 Apparatus (ART33) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8497 11-Aug- Image Processing Method and 09/113,090 97 Apparatus (ART34) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8020 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 6,431,704 97 Apparatus (ART38) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8023 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,222 97 Apparatus (ART39) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8504 11-Aug- Image Processing Method and 09/112,786 97 Apparatus (ART42) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8000 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 6,415,054 97 Apparatus (ART43) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7977 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/112,782 97 Apparatus (ART44) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7934 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,056 97 Apparatus (ART45) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7990 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,059 97 Apparatus (ART46) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8499 11-Aug- Image Processing Method and 6,486,886 97 Apparatus (ART47) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8502 11-Aug- Image Processing Method and 6,381,361 97 Apparatus (ART48) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7981 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 6,317,192 97 Apparatus (ART50) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7986 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,057 97 Apparatus (ART51) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO7983 15-Jul- Data Processing Method and 09/113,054 97 Apparatus (ART52) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8026 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,752 97 Apparatus (ART53) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8027 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,759 97 Apparatus (ART54) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO8028 15-Jul- Image Processing Method and 09/112,757 97 Apparatus (ART56) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9394 23-Sep- Image Processing Method and 6,357,135 97 Apparatus (ART57) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9396 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 09/113,107 97 Apparatus (ART58) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9397 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,271,931 97 Apparatus (ART59) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9398 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,353,772 97 Apparatus (ART60) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9399 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,106,147 97 Apparatus (ART61) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9400 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 09/112,790 97 Apparatus (ART62) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9401 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,304,291 97 Apparatus (ART63) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9402 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 09/112,788 97 Apparatus (ART64) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9403 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,305,770 97 Apparatus (ART65) (Jul. 10, 1998) PO9405 23-Sep- Data Processing Method and 6,289,262 97 Apparatus (ART66) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP0959 16-Dec- A Data Processing Method 6,315,200 97 and Apparatus (ART68) (Jul. 10, 1998) PP1397 19-Jan- A Media Device (ART69) 6,217,165 98 (Jul. 10, 1998) 

We claim:
 1. A method for processing an image previously captured by a camera and stored in a memory of the camera, the method comprising the steps of: sensing the position of an eye in the captured image; generating eye position information; and processing said captured image using the eye position information, wherein the step of processing involves detecting a face within the capture image, and applying a morph to the detected face to modify the captured image, and the step of processing further involves a step of applying a graphical object at a location within the image and relative to the detected face.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said graphical object is a speech bubble.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of processing involves any one of modifying or transforming the captured image using the sensed eye position.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of processing involves applying focussing effects to a region of the captured image.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of processing involves applying artistic rendering of the captured image.
 6. A processed image which has been processed in accordance with the method of claim
 1. 